Technology Vision Statement:

Pekin Public School District 108 is committed to the ideal that a technologically integrated working environment will exist for all students and staff. The environment must include:

• appropriate technological tools and skills used in an active and enriching, restructured environment to enhance learning, teaching and their management.
• easily accessible and continuous support, training and time for the using the tools of technology to enhance teaching and learning.
• efficient infrastructure to connect the home, the classroom, the school, and agencies of the community to resources available across the world.
• Continuous monitoring, evaluation and updating of district and buildings’ technology plans.

Technology Belief Statements:

We believe:

• Technology is an effective tool for learning when combined with and active, engaging learning environment.
• The Internet and other networking tools provide students with interactive, real time information beyond what is available in the traditional school.
• All students should be prepared to deal with our increasingly technological society.
• Students demonstrate increased independence when using technological tools.
• Students demonstrate increased motivation toward work when using technological tools.
• Students create more complete and proficient products when using technological tools.
• Students gain a variety of cognitive benefits when technology is combined with restructured schooling (communication skills, problem solving skills, comprehension skills, writing skills, etc.)
• Technological productive tools increase the efficiency with which teachers and administrators do their work, thus providing increased time for instructional tasks.
• Easy availability, both of student data and of the tools with which to analyze them, improve teachers’ and administrators’ instructional decisions.
• Students benefit from increases in adults’ opportunities to communicate with each other.

• To combine the tools of technology within a restructured teaching and learning 
  environment to improve achievement and productivity.
• To provide easily accessible and continuous support, training and time 
  for the utilization of technology.
• To provide technological connections for voice, video and data applications between
  the school and the home, and between the classroom and the resources available across the world.
• To provide leadership for the Pekin Community Network. 
  
  
  
  

Technology Strategies/Actions

1. Seek ideas and information to continuously update our technology plan in an effort to shape
future decisions related to teaching and learning.

1.1 Update, monitor and evaluate district technology plan.
1.2 Update, monitor, evaluate building technology plans and align with district plan.
1.3 Encourage involvement of all interested stakeholders in the visioning and planning process.
1.4 Assure district plan meets requirements for federal and state technology grant applications.
1.5 Define parameters for site-based technology decisions to ensure consistency and compatibility.
1.6 Investigate and seek information from ISBE, ITTE, U.S Department of Education,
      demonstration sites, hubs, other districts, vendors, partners and publications to expand our vision.
1.7 Foster the use of technology tools that support engaged teaching and learning.
1.8 Provide leadership and vision for the planning and implementation of the community network.
1.9 Set yearly job targets for technology staff consistent with district technology plan.
1.10 Provide site visits and conference presentations to share vision and plans with others.

2. Sustain, extend and upgrade district and building networks to enhance communication, collaboration,
and access to services and resources.

2.1 Integrate School Vista management software into classroom environment.
2.2 Explore data gathering methods to help District evaluate use of network.
2.3 Phase-out baseband network support resources and re-allocate to ATM network.
2.4 Encourage and maintain multiple hardware platforms.
2.5 Explore enhancement of Inter/Intranet connectivity options.
2.6 Continuously revise specifications for future purchases.
2.7 Maintain awareness of emerging technologies.
2.8 Investigate partnerships with local Internet Service Providers to provide dial-up access.
2.9 Support expansion of ATM technology use.
2.10 Continue phased classroom renovation consistent with district classroom-of-the-future model.
2.11 Extend community access to District resources.
2.12 Expand appropriate user access to AS/400 database and extend access points.
2.13 Expand direct Inter/Intra-net access to select Learning Community 2000 partners.
2.14 Implement MPEG-2 video access and distribution across network.
2.15 Provide telephone access in each classroom through infrastructure and provide staff development and ongoing support.
2.16 Continue expansion of District WAN/LAN deployment.
 
 

3.1 Expand use of WEB server as a District/Partner information repository.
3.2 Phase-in teacher use of School Vista, CIMS, Microsoft Office, Abacus.
3.3 Implement library automation plan.
3.4 Provide on-line resources for lesson designs and plans and provide staff development.
3.5 Provide security for appropriate accessing and changing of student and staff information.
3.6 Experiment with methods for parental access to student performance information.
3.7 Assure that database information is comprehensive to meet federal, state, and PACCC standards.
3.8 Implement software that meets user needs but is efficient in design, easy to install,
      friendly to use, and reliable for Electronic Learning Village (see strategy 3.4).
3.9 Explore on-line inventory control.
3.10 Identify the collaboration software tool to be implemented.
3.11 Implement cafeteria automation plan and provide staff development and ongoing support.

4. Identify and deliver technology skills for students and staff in a sequenced curriculum.

4.1 Implement, evaluate, and refine K-8 technology curriculum.
4.2 Implement, evaluate, and refine K-8 RAP curriculum and integrate the skills across all subjects.
4.3 Communicate the tech curriculum at each grade with students, staff and parents.
4.4 Develop an assessment component for student tech curriculum.
4.5 Provide K-8 LC labs equipped with the following:
4.6 Instruction capability
4.7 Production capability
4.8 Internet/teleconferencing/collaboration capability
4.9 ATM networking
4.10 Implement, evaluate, and refine teacher technology curriculum that specifies technical, productivity, and instructional skills.
4.11 Develop a process through which classroom and LC teachers share responsibility for delivering the tech and RAP curricula.
4.12 Implement a flexible LC schedule to maximize delivery of the tech curriculum.

5. Provide leadership in the development and implementation of Pekin Community Network.

5.1 Provide leadership and facilitation for partnership board activities.
5.2 Define services and time allocations for shared personnel.
5.3 Determine training services to be provided by the district at no cost and those to be provided at a cost.
5.4 Determine technical services to be provided by the district at no cost and those to be provided at a cost.
5.5 Provide input into essential services to be provided.
5.6 Encourage membership on task force groups.
5.7 Make schools available as public access sites.
5.8 Participate in the establishment of community access sites to promote Project
5.9 Success, intergenerational and after school adventures activities.
5.10 Support the Community Health Assessment Consortium.
5.11 Define infrastructure relationship between GC2000 and LC2000 expansion
5.12 Serve as system administrator for the community network.
5.13 Provide leadership in the design, development, updating and evaluation of the community web site.
5.14 Use students and interns to assist in web page construction and planning.
5.15 Serve as fiscal agent for the community network.
5.16 Provide leadership in the long term sustainability of the community network.

6. Integrate the tools of technology into the curriculum to foster research, author and publish opportunities
for teaching and learning.

6.1 Use technology to engage learners and to enhance and improve instruction of the established curriculum.
6.2 Expand implementation of TLC model to K-8.
6.3 Develop and implement Teacher Pilot Project: Teacher Applications.
6.4 Develop and implement Teacher Pilot Project: Student Applications
6.5 Develop and implement collaborative planning process among classroom and LC staff.
6.6 Support courseware for Model 25.
6.7 Support Writing to Read.

7. Provide opportunities to participate in innovative projects and extended activities.

7.1 Implement and refine a process for staff to propose, approve, fund, and evaluate innovation projects.
7.2 Evaluate and refine integrated summer technology camps and lab schools.
7.3 Develop a process for staff to share successful project implementation inside and outside the district.
7.4 Continue application for state and federal grants.
7.5 Continue application for beta test projects.
7.6 Support existing beta projects.
7.7 Develop ways to extend use of technology for students and staff during non-school hours.

8. Provide continuous technological training and support to sustain our investment.

8.1 Maintain three technology coordinators to provide training and follow-up support to make training a good investment.
8.2 Expand Tech Academy offerings for all staff, parents, partners and community.
8.3 Evaluate all training activities.
8.4 Continue "train the trainer" experts concept.
8.5 Conduct periodic tech needs assessment to identify training needs.
8.6 Expand network of trainers to meet training needs.
8.7 Continue to explore incentives for participants and instructors.
8.8 Provide training, monitoring and support for teacher pilot project.
8.9 Design and implement a student mentor/ internship program.
8.10 Support other districts as a federal challenge grant and state demonstration site.
8.11 Continue partnership with IBM to benefit from training opportunities that meet our needs.
8.12 Train Learning Center and Connections staff to support new teacher pilot project.

9.1 Develop and implement a maintenance plan.
9.2 Continuously update trouble-shooting checklist and inform all in the use of WEB-based support information.
9.3 Continue to evolve service request procedures.
9.4 Develop security plan and procedures.
9.5 Continue to train Learning Center staff and mentors to provide technical assistance on site for voice telephony, video distribution and conferencing, Electronic Learning Village, cafeteria automation.
9.6 Expand technical support and methods.
9.7 Redistribute unused resources and re-purpose older resources.
9.8 Investigate cost-feasability of upgrading existing labs to support ever-increasing memory/processor requirements.
9.9 Begin marketing efforts to increase revenue that includes the Pekin Institute.
9.10 Coordinate revenue enhancements with LC2000 Partnership Board.
9.11 Secure traditional and non-traditional financial resources.
9.12 Continue lease purchase agreement.
9.13 Continue annual technology budget review.
9.14 Explore technical support options with LC2000 Partners.
9.15 Experiment with used equipment sales.